Left Politics in India

India's Non-Alignment on the Balance, Communists on Alert

by Nicola Nasser / July 21st, 2007

The accelerated pace of India’s liberal economics and pragmatic ties with the United States and Israel risks polarizing Indian domestic politics and invoking a deep-seated communist as well as Islamist anti – Americanism with a realistic potential for a foreign policy strategic shift leading unintentionally and indirectly to creating an internal political environment that could be receptive for the first time to the agitation of the extreme violent Islamists who have been waiting on the sidelines for such a “golden opportunity” in the turbulent Afghani and Pakistani neighborhood, as well as for the agitation of the violent Indian Maoists.

Indian diplomats proudly highlight the fact that their country’s democratic and secular tradition has so far spared India the atrocities of the U.S . – led global war on terrorism and similarly proudly note that so far al-Qaeda has failed to recruit or implicate anyone of the Indian world’s second largest Muslim community, after Indonesia, in their schemes or activities.

The communist – leftist factor has had a decisive role in attracting grassroots anti – globalization, anti – American and anti – Israeli grievances into the traditional democratic channels of the Indian secular system away from violent Maoist and Islamist extremism; however the politics of India’s internally liberal economics and external pragmatic U.S. and Israeli ties risk also polarizing the democratic communist – leftist front, the national third mainstream political movement, and might make their role more difficult as well as more critical in neutralizing the violent Maoist and Islamist threats.

While the Islamist threat is looming, the Maoist is already an Indian security headache. According to a Christian Science Monitor report on August 28 last year, the Maoist insurrection is spreading across India “like an oil stain across paper,” already affecting 14 of India’s 28 States (Chatisgarh, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Asma, Uttaranchal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Maharashtra and Bihar). In figures, that means the Maoists are in control in 165 districts out of the total of 602 into which the country is divided. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh recognized the Maoist advance on August 23rd 2006 when he declared to Parliament that the Maoists “have become the biggest internal challenge to security that India has,” the Monitor reported. Undoubtedly Maoists and Islamists will find in the Indian foreign and internal politics of liberal economics precious ammunition for their anti-American propaganda as well as for their internal “struggle.”

Already India’s foreign policy and globalization – oriented liberal economics are creating cracks in the so far united communist – leftist front. The Communist Party of India (CPI) has recently moved for a review of Left parties’ outside support to the ruling coalition of the Congress – led United Progressive Alliance (UPA), but The Communist Party of India – Marxist (CPI-M), with 44 seats of the New Delhi Parliament’s total of 543, was wisely not for such a move, lest it would bring down the Government: “At this juncture, it [review] would be counterproductive,” said a political developments report, adopted by the central committee of the CPI-M at a June 24-26 meeting.

The Left has been critical of Singh government’s economic and foreign policies and is working for a “political alternative,” the head of the CPI-M, Prakash Karat, told Reuters in an interview recently, adding that the ruling coalition had failed internally to curb rising food prices and was not addressing poverty and lack of investment in the countryside while following unpopular economic policies.

Externally the leftists see that a nuclear deal with the U.S. would or at least could compromise the ruling coalition’s commitment to “independent foreign policy.” India’s National Security Adviser M. K. Narayanan was expected with a high-ranking delegation in Washington for talks on July 16-18 to clinch a nuclear deal with the U.S. to coincide with the second anniversary of the landmark July 18 agreement,” the Indian Express reported; two major sticking points has been U.S. reluctance to allow India to reprocess spent atomic fuel, a crucial step in making weapons-grade nuclear material, and to continue nuclear tests. The Indian leftists criticize these U.S. conditions as constraints on India’s sovereign decision making. They also protested a port call in Chennai in early July by the nuclear-powered USS Nimitz, a first by a U.S. aircraft carrier.

Moreover they view the deal as courting India away from a potential alliance with Russia and China to counterweight the U.S. global hegemony. They note also that the U.S. administration began the process of agreement with India on the nuclear issue in March 2006, putting an end to the 30-year embargo on nuclear material she imposed on India in 1974, at the same time she began her nuclear crisis with Iran, with whom India has strategic oil interests.

During the last 18 years, India has been gradually dismantling its centralized economy and privatizing its main sectors under the wing of a battery of laws to protect Direct Foreign Investments, especially those from the United States that have now increased from US$76m to US$4bn.

The accelerated pace of the growing ties with Israel was another foreign policy point of criticism by Indian leftists and communists. On July 18 The Times of India reported a “crucial milestone in growing Indo-Israeli military ties” to lift-off from the space centre at Sriharikota an Israeli spy satellite called TechSar, weighing about 260 kg, by a four-stage Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) of the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO).

Earlier there was the $2.5 billion project to develop a medium range SAM for use with India’s land forces and the Israeli Barak missile system $350 million deal, which the Indian Navy chief, Admiral Arun Prakash, strongly defended in a statement on May 15, saying there was “nothing comparable” to it anywhere in the world, which was objected to by none other than President APJ Abdul Kalam and claimed as its major victim former defense minister George Fernandes in a widely reported corruption scandal.

Communist – led Left on the Move

Reversing an historical trend worldwide, the Indian communists and leftists have been gaining more ground and making progress in a very hostile political and economic environment where globalization – oriented liberals are ruling and responding to the strategic overtures of the United States, the leader of globalization, irrespective of the their affiliation to the Congress or the Janata parties.

At least economically the dividing lines between the mainstream parties of the Congress and Janata have become blurred since 1991 when the leading member of the Congress, Manmohan Singh, became the finance minister of the Janata – led government of Prime Minister Narasimha Rao, long before securing his party’s nomination for premiership in 2004, a position he still occupies ever since.

An economist by profession and a veteran of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) as well as his country’s central bank, Singh, the first ever Sikh prime minister of India, is considered the most educated and one of the most qualified and influential prime ministers in India’s history, mainly because of the liberal economic reforms he initiated in 1991 and the Indian economic liberalization, which have become established under his premiership since May 22, 2004; he got rid of several socialist policies and opened the nation to foreign direct investments, thus paving the way for stronger relations with the U.S. and Israel, the biggest and the most controversial achievement of his legacy.

Most likely because of the context of this hostile environment, the Indian communists and leftists, who have been closely involved in the presidential and vice presidency elections on July 19 and in August respectively, are gaining ground and making progress while at the same time opposing both the political and economic strategic opening to the U.S. and Israel as well as standing up to the victimization of millions of Indians by the official opening to globalization by the government’s liberal economics.

Ironically the Indian cornerstone of liberal economics and U.S. and Israeli –oriented politics, that is the government of Dr. Singh, is uplifted to survive only by the 61 legislative votes, representing more than 120 million voters, of the Left Front in the federal lower House of parliament. Today, for the first time in India’s history, the federal government in New Delhi remains in power thanks to the Left Front, who decided to support the coalition government led by the Congress from the outside.

This anti – “Red Scare” realpolitic fact of Indian politics is a credit to the world’s largest democracy, which compares positively with the second largest democracy of the United States, where communists and leftists are still screened to deny them employment in the executive, legislative and judicial branches of the administration, in line with the 1950s McCarthyism that is supposed to be a defunct “security” practice a long time ago.

Lost in the lively turbulent diversity of the Indian pluralistic society — where monotheistic and non-monotheistic religions and sects sometimes violently clash and other times indulge in dialogue within or outside the limits of secular jurisdiction, national languages in the hundreds coexisting with that of the British colonialist who was “non-violently” forced out leaving behind his English tongue, the unjust four – sect social system that is ironically a national trade mark of the world’s largest democracy, the economic widening gap between the rich and the poor, the continental contradictory landscape between the heights crowned with snow around the year and the arid land of deserts in a country sliced here and there by “sacred” rivers overlooking the Indian Ocean that took its name from her — the outsider often misses the important fact of life of a political system whose democratic credibility allows communist endeavors to prosper in the sea of a national capitalist liberalism swimming in an ocean of globalization after the collapse of the international communist system.

In West Bengal, the communist – led Left Front last June celebrated the 30th anniversary of being successively elected to govern more than 80 million Indians since June 21, 1977, a record electoral success not only in India but also in any parliamentary democracy worldwide. “Consolidate This Alternative,” the People’s Democracy urged on June 24 in an editorial, which MP Sitaram Yechury, the leader of the parliamentary group of The Communist Party of India – Marxist (CPI-M) and member of the party’s Politbureau, told this writer that he had written. The Left Front also governs in the states of Kerala and Minipur.

The communists are partners also in the ruling left fronts in Tripura and Tamil Nadu but have no cabinet ministers of their own. On grassroots level they lead mass organizations like the All India Trade Union Congress, All India Youth Federation, All India Students Federation, National Federation of Indian Women, All India Peasants Organization and the All India Agricultural Workers.

The Communist Party of India – Maoist is outlawed, but the CPI-M and the CPI are recognized by the Election Commission of India as “national parties,” and to date, they are the only national political parties that have contested the mainstream Congress and Janata in “all the general elections using the same electoral symbol.” They lead what is known in Indian media as the Left Front, which supports the Indian National Congress – led UPA coalition government in New Delhi, but without taking part in it; their support is conditional on committing to the Common Minimum Programme that pledges to discontinue disinvestment, massive social outlays and an independent foreign policy. (Wikipedia)

Communists are old hands in India. They set up their party early the 1920s, but were outlawed by the British colonial power until Britain allied herself with the former Soviet Union during the WWII and lifted the ban on Indian communists. After the independence in 1947 they resorted to “armed struggle” against local kings and sultans and their people’s army and militia briefly ruled the Hyderabad kingdom before they were brutally crushed out to drop violence ever since. They were the first opposition party to win state elections and rule in Kerala in 1957, an achievement that was criticized by their Chinese and other international comrades. The Indian Chinese war in 1962 split them between “internationalists” and “nationalists.” The split was institutionalized in 1964 with two party congresses.

Foreign Policy is another area where the Indian and American “democracies” diverge, noted Teresita Schaffer, director for the South Asia Program with the Center for Strategic and International Studies and the former US deputy assistant secretary of state for South Asia and former ambassador to Sri Lanka: “Both nations have different views about how their common democratic heritage should affect foreign policy. For Americans, it is natural to want to advance democracy. For India, however, democracy is not necessarily a product suitable for export. Democratic institutions are a source of great pride, deeply ingrained in how Indian government, politics and society work, yet one aspect of India’s anti-colonial history that remains strong is its passionate commitment to maintaining and respecting national sovereignty. India not only resists external interference, but is reluctant to make a public issue of other countries’ systems of government.”
Non-Alignment on Balance

The divergence on foreign policy between the world’s two largest democracies emanates from India’s anti-colonial legacy, which led New Delhi since independence to strictly tiptoe delicate “non-alignment” policies during the “cold war” era of the bipolar Soviet – U.S. world politics. Following the collapse of the Soviet Union India embarked early in the 1990s on her liberal economics and pragmatic foreign policy, but nonetheless remained honest to her anti-colonial policies to carefully avoid being dragged into the U.S. – led global war on terrorism in a way that could embroil her in the American overseas military adventures and in what many Indian diplomats still condemn as “imperialist” endeavors. Indian foreign policy accordingly is still committed to her traditional solidarity with the world’s national liberation movements.

However the Indian independence advocates of all political spectrum, with the communist and leftist third mainstream political movement in the forefront, are now pondering for how long New Delhi could resist the realistic outcome of the interaction between her globalization – oriented liberal economics and her pragmatic foreign policy. India’s traditional non-alignment is on the balance with potential strategic implications: “A flourishing Indo-Israeli relationship has the potential to make a significant impact on global politics by altering the balance of power, not only in South Asia and the Middle East, but also in the larger Asian region,” Harsh V. Pant wrote as early as December 2004 in volume No. 8 of the Israeli MERIA.

India’s traditional solidarity with the Palestinian people is the best example of a wider solidarity with the world’s national liberation movements, but, “With India-Israel bilateral engagement deepening, New Delhi’s status as a friend of the Arabs is being steadily eroded. Although India continues to maintain a ‘studied neutrality’ between Israel and the Palestinians, it is doing a balancing act. And even a balancing act is a significant shift, given India’s unambiguous support to the Palestinian cause for many decades,” Sudha Ramachandran wrote in Asia Times on June 26, 2002.

Indian communists are very well aware of their historical responsibility to preempt the potential alignment of their country’s non-aligned foreign policy; they are careful to maintain their ideological and international solidarity relations with their comrades worldwide as well as with the national liberation movements, in particular the Palestinian national struggle.

On the 40th anniversary of the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories in Israel’s 1967 “war of aggression,” Sitaram Yechury, member of the CPI-M’s Polit Bureau and leader of his party’s parliamentary group accepted the joint invitation of the Communist Party of Israel and the Palestinian (formerly communist) People’s Party for a three – day programme in Jerusalem on June 4, named “the Jerusalem Initiative,” which was also attended by 27 international delegations from 12 countries including 7 women organizations and representatives of the communist parties of the U.S.A., Britain, Italy, Portugal, Greece and France, the Socialist Left Party of Norway, Red-Green Alliance of Denmark, The Left Party of Germany, AKEL of Cyprus and RJD of India.

Yechury returned to India to educate tens of millions of communists and leftists on the Palestinian national struggle for self-determination in lectures, conferences and three articles published by the party’s “People’s Democracy” and republished or reported by a network of communist and leftist media. He told this writer, who met with Yechury in the Palestinian West Bank town of Ramallah and in New Delhi, that his party and friends collected hundreds of thousands of dollars as a donation to the Palestinian people to help them survive the suffocating two-year old economic siege imposed on them by the Israeli occupying power and her strategic U.S. ally.

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This article by Nicola Nasser, which has found its way onto several left websites in the U.S., including, unfortunately, Dissident Voice and Znet, is incredibly misleading. It is quite amazing that Nasser can write about the virtues of the Left Front, and particularly the CPI-M, without once mentioning the ongoing crisis in Nandigram and Singur, where farmers protesting against the seizure of their land have been massacred police and armed CPI-M cadres. See, for instance, this article in Hard News Magazine, titled “The Train Stops at Nandigram,” to get a sense of the depth and reach of disillusionment with the party: http://www.hardnewsmedia.com/portal/2007/04/870

This is not surprising, of course, given the fact that the CPI-M, among other things, supported the Tiananmen Square massacre, labeling the pro-democracy students as ‘CIA agents and juvenile delinquents’.

For all their leftist rhetoric and posturing, the CPI-M’s opposition to U.S.-India-Israel cooperation stems not from any proven commitment to working-class internationalism, but from its very opposite: an unflinching commitment to Indian *nationalism*.

Nasser and others like him in the Arab world ought to be under no illusions about this. The most obvious example of this commitment to nationalism and national unity lies in the CPI-M’s denial of the right of Kashmiris to self-determination. While they are in favor of reducing Indian military atrocities and such in Kashmir, they will never even consider accepting the demand of self-determination, because, they claim, an independent Kashmir would invite “imperialist intervention” and thus undermine Indian sovereignty! (Indian national rights trump those of the Kashmiris.)

Similarly, in the northeast, there have been liberation struggles taking place in Assam and Nagaland for decades now. The CPI/CPI-M’s response? The same as that of all the other mainstream parties–these areas are understood to be a part of India, and there will be no question about it.

I would like to ask Mr. Nasser: What makes him put so much faith in the “internationalist” credentials of a party that has not proven its internationalism in the country ruled by “its own” bourgeoisie?

If there is a genuine Left in India that is worthy of our support, it is to be found in the numerous grassroots movements that are fighting for real peace, solidarity and equality, but are as yet not organized under any party banner. Sure, the Left Front and its constituent parties are “making gains,” particularly in the electoral arena, but I would argue that they are doing this at the expense of the very classes and constituencies whose interests they claim to uphold: workers and the oppressed.

An Open Letter of the Dalit Christians to Hon’ble Prime Minister of India,
Indian Parliamentarians and Indian Church Authorities

The Hon’ble Prime Minister,
152, South Block,
New Delhi -110 011

Wish you Happy Christmas and New Year.

For the last several decades, the Indian Church Authorities and its Leaders at National and International level have been subtly pressurizing the Indian Government to make suitable amendments in the Constitution to include converted Dalit Christians in the list of Schedule Castes. Our Constitution founders and framers had seen the validity of assuring equality and respect to Dalit Hindus in their Hindu fold, while they were not clear as to the implications of the same with Dalit Christians. Hence they formulated the provision for Hindu Dalit reservation for Schedule Caste in the Constitution. The Hindu community as a majority of peoples accepted reservations as a just and fair provision. Thus the Indian constitution gave equal right to the Dalit Hindus because they suffered ill treatment and were oppressed in the society over the centuries. It was a fair and just compensation to the Dalit Hindus for the exploitation done to them.

While Dalit Hindus- who were converted to Christianity- lost their privilege of reservation policy and thus they were not included in the list of Schedule Caste. The Converted Dalit Christians had ‘an historic option’ to decide whether to accept their original religion-Hinduism and return to their community and thus avail the facility of Schedule Caste but most of the Dalit Christians forsook the reservation policy and they decided to remain Dalit Christians (DC) mainly because DCs fondly recalled the words of Jesus Christ: “Come to me, all of you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Mt Ch. 11:28)

Over the decades, the Church Authorities and Leaders belittled the faith of DCs., Besides, the Lords of Christendom- the Bishops, had already condescendingly accepted and treated the DCs as low grade Christians- reminiscent of their ‘original stigma’-untouchables. This subtly implied that DCs should never forget who they were and that it is thanks to valiant, foreign missionaries efforts that they still can be treated as second class followers of Christianity. Thus Church Authorities maintained a clear distinction between ‘those of the earlier accepted the Christian faith and thus possessed a superior grade/class and a superior faith’ and those traits should be preserved till reward day of the Master. Keeping this as a background check, the Indian Church Authorities deemed it fit that Dalit Christians remain uneducated lot, and they were not given proper and equal right for gainful employment least they be filled with a false pride of being true Christians. Notice the subtle distinction and statements of Church authorities when it comes to the game of numbers. DCs who form over 70% of the Christians population should be a’ feather in the cap’ of the numerous foreign missionaries who descended in hordes triumphantly dreaming that one day the whole of India would be Christianized.

Further, the line of thinking of Church Authorities can be described thus: DCs ought to get proper compensation in lieu of governmental benefits they lost is ‘an unchristian consideration’- this would spoil ‘their Christian motivation’. Thus, it was clear to the Bishops and Church Authorities that any such talk of compensation made to DCs is unheard of biblical remedy. Hence DCs should remain poor and despicable to as proof of their newly accepted ‘superior faith’. Moreover, the secular Indian Government should be taught a lesson or two -especially the lesson that it is the ‘duty and responsibility’ of the Indian Government to make appropriate provisions for DCs? And that ‘we the Bishops’ if needed, are ready to fight tooth and nail to see that the Indian Government implements and practices what is enshrined in the Constitution of India. The Government should be blamed squarely because they care two hoots for the plight of the DC while they are pampering the other Dalits with innumerable concessions all for political gain. And why should Church Authorities and leaders make suitable provisions for their own least brethren was beyond the comprehension of the great Lords of Christendom.

In just four hundred years the Christian population grew in leaps and bounds, the Indian Church’s with the selfless efforts of foreign missionaries added millions to the zero percentage of Christians in India. But no Church Authority ever even noticed that the plight of those numerous DCs remained the same. Nay over the decades it worsened. Hence what was and is the primary intention of the pious missionaries becomes clear. Indian Church Authorities and Leaders merely used DCs in a game of numbers and scarcely gave a passing thought to improve the living conditions of DC. The DCs were never or rather deliberately kept out mainstream Christianity and thus they were unable to experience progress and growth in their Christian living even though they had full membership in the various Churches.

Notice this fact, when it came to the ‘battle of equal rights for all Dalits’ the Indian Church Authorities deemed it fit to wage a battle with the mind of Constitution founders and framers. And the battle did begin as early as or as soon as India gained independence. In their heart of hearts the Church Authorities and Leaders wanted that DCs to be loyal Christians and remain faithful members of their respective Churches and yet when it came to the matter of improvement in the standard of living, all their sound reasoning and superior faith failed them. Even an ‘ordinary statements of the assets’ of the Indian Churches- like enumerating the thousands of Christians Schools , Colleges and large compounds, and thousands of other allied majestic institutions like Hospitals and other social work Institutes will show the might of Indian Church wealth. It is well known that Indian Church Authorities have wealth ‘second to none’ in terms of immovable assets and finances. And note – this second to none is in comparison with the Government of India.

Besides, in the name of DCs and poor, the Church gets flooded with funds both from within country and from abroad. And most ironical- the condition of DCs remains as poor as the proverbial Church mouse. Do all these the funds instantaneously disappear into the incredible mouth of Bishop Pip? (Please view the Documentary-‘In search of self respect’, produced by PSBT and Prasar Bharti. http://www.syncline films.com). The Mighty Indian Churches have conveniently divided India and with the magical wand of the Pope and other Church Authorities, have created around 250 to 300 dioceses in the country in order to smoothly run and manage their vast properties and institutions. A diocese may have average around fifty thousand followers. Based on their own methods of mission management: aren’t the Indian Church Authorities and Leaders responsible for the sorry state of affair of DCs? Why is the Indian Church constantly harping on the same old tune that Indian secularism is at stake when they themselves like Pilate constantly wash off their hands regarding a sound and just policy of justice for their least brethren- the Dalit Christians( DC)?.

Why are the Church Authorities forcing our Parliamentarians to debate on the scheduled caste status of DCs? It is for all to see who has a hidden agenda. It is for the Church Authorities to honestly provide a ‘white paper’ on their fabulous wealth and what have they done to alleviate the sufferings of the least of their brethren- the Dalit Christians.

To all Indian Bishops

The open letter is now addressed to the Presidents of the Catholic Bishop’s Conference of India, of the National Council for Churches in India, Church of South India, Anglicans, Methodists, CNI, and all Bishops of all Christian Denominations.

Most Rt. Rev. Bishops,

Happy Christmas and New Year,

Over the last several decades, the Catholic Bishops Conference of India, National Council for Churches in India, all the Protestant Churches and all the Christian foreign funding agencies were and are trying their best to amend the legislation of inclusion in Scheduled Caste status for Dalit Christians. You had several ‘ high level meetings and conferences at National and International level; and you were seen frantically appointing the best legal luminaries to see that DC are included in the list of scheduled caste thus securing a new heaven and a new earth for DCs.

It was reported in the newspapers that your Grace and Lordship have graciously come down to the earth in New Delhi- the National Capital on November 29th 2007. You staged a Dharna for inclusion of DCs into Scheduled Caste status. When your Grace and Lordship, and predecessors converted Dalits from the Hindu society, the main attractions offered to them was that there was no caste discrimination in the Christian society and that they would be treated equally as brothers in Christ. It was with this hope of an ‘egalitarian status’ within the Christian community that the poor Dalits converted themselves to Christianity. If they are still Dalits the question is who has been oppressing them of late, it is true that when they were in the Hindu society they were oppressed by caste system that existed in that society. But was it not a solemn pledge before God and man that these converted Christians would be looked after without any discrimination and with Christian love and sharing?

There is an answer to this question. Obviously, it is the Church Authorities and Leaders who are exploiting the DCs. If only the Church Authorities can spend twenty five per cent of the Church income for the welfare of DCs, surely there will be a great change in the lives of DCs. If only the Church Authorities can give fifty percent of employment in their institutions to the DCs we believe that within ten years, all the DCs will have employment. But alas- the Church Authorities only gives all employment to and give important posts to the priests, nuns etc. Notice that you are creating fatted calves and bestowing on them privileges upon privileges to merely a small class of clergy and superior Christians.

You are seeing the speck in the eyes of Constitution founders and framers but fail to see the mote in your own eyes? For centuries the Church Authorities are merely filling up the barns for a minuscular clergy and pampering them into a parasitical life, while you ignore the cries and agonies of the discriminated DCs. For these very poor, Jesus has said, “The spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has chosen me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captive’s recovery of sight to the blind, to set free the oppressed and announce that the year of remission, reward and restoration. Confer, Luke Chapter 4; 16-19.”

Poor Christian Liberation Movement appeals to the Church Authorities and solemnly asks these questions. Why after converting DCs into the Christian fold you have constantly denied and deprived them of proper education facilities, of just employment, and generous financial support? And why do you not give proper Christian respect for DCs? Why do you not offer equal rights to DCs in the Church life? Why are you constantly using DCs as pawns to show the might of your own Empire and missionary prowess? Why hasn’t the Christian sense of giving compensation to DCs never even once crossed the minds of the all powerful and wealthy Church Authorities? Why are you playing the role of going around the devils ring by leaving DCs to the mercy of Indian Government? Why are you not fulfilling your responsibility toward DCs? You must remember the solemn words spoken to Peter Simon. Jesus said to Peter Simon: “If you love me then take care of my lambs and sheep (St John 21:15-17) .And even St. Paul emphatically said this of himself: that he was imprisoned, that he was beaten many times, faced difficulties, was in odd situations, worked hard, spent sleepless nights, many times without food and water, and besides other things, I am under daily pressure because of my anxiety for all the congregations. Who is weak and I am not weak? (2 Corinthians Ch 11: 23-29). Can all the Bishops honestly say that they have fulfilled their responsibility towards Dalit Christians?

May the all the respected Bishop dare to say- YES. Amen.

Thank you.

Yours in Christ,
R.L. Francis
National President
And all Executive Members of PCLM

New Delhi, December 10, 2008:
On the International Human Rights Day the Poor Christians Liberation Movement (PCLM) has urged the Church authorities to pave way for human rights of Christians of Dalit and Tribal origin. The PCLM pointed out that while nearly 70 per cent of present Christians population in India are of Dalit and Tribal background their participation and appointments in high position in Church is less than 15 percent. This is gross injustice.

The PCLM president R.L.Francis pointed out that on 7th December the ‘Catholic Bishops Conference of India (CBCI) and National Christian Council of India (NCCI)’ have released two spate posters depicting injustice and valance against Christians in India and called upon the faithful in India to observe ‘Dalit Liberation Sunday.’

While it is true that violence occurred in Karnataka and Orissa but the Supreme Court of India issued stern directions for the safety of the minorities in those states. According to PCLM president RL Francis these posters are misleading and are only gimmicks to collect foreign donations during the forth coming Christmas and New Year seasons in the Western countries.

The PCLM conducted a quick survey in Delhi to find out whether in the local churches the issue of Dalit Christians were discussed or not and to its surprise it discovered that not even in the Cathedral of Delhi which is located next to ‘Catholic Bishops Conference of India’ (CBCI) office there was any mention of the posters and its content. Like wise the NCCI also paid only lip service to the Dalit liberation.

RL Francis, the Movement president, further stated that the Church office bearers are involved in conversion of the poor tribals and Dalits to enhance their political influence in the backward states and not really to bring liberation message of Jesus Christ to them.

Calling for justice for the poor dalit and tribal Christians the PCLM has urged the Church not to malign the name of our country in the West. The PCLM has also urge the Foreign Affairs Ministry Govt. of India to investigate the false propaganda by the office bearers of the Church in India and Hyderabad based All India Christian Council (AICC) whose aim seems only to collect dollars.

Let Church work for the social justice for the poor Christians on the International Human Rights Day, said RL Francis, the PCLM president.

Poor Christian Liberation Movement (PCLM) President R.L.Francis, Address 4th National Assembly of Delegates
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Good News. Indeed we wish to give the ‘good news’ in its true original form and in its true biblical form. It is PCLM’s basic slogan ‘Truth will make you free’. In August 2003 over three hundred delegates assembled for National Assembly of Dalit Christians. The topic of the seminar was a discussion: “Dalit Christians in the context of Conversion.” After the seminar the “Presidential Address” was circulated to all PCLM ideologues and senior writers, journalists, friends and benefactors. A request was made to the ideologues to adapt, redraft where necessary, or ever overhaul the entire Presidential Address. The ‘good news’ is that soon all PCLM delegates receive “ a coherent and practical handbook. ”

It is October 2004, over a year since the address was delivered. We must express gratitude to the PCLM ideologues. Many of you will have read and studied the ‘original text’ of this address. Hence it is for you to judge the labour of love of the ideologues. They spent time reading, grasping, adapting, editing and in several places overhauling the address of 6-8-2003.

Verily, what Freud said should be pondered by all PCLM cadres. “An unreflected life is not worth living”. Or better, Dalit Christians should daily put into practice ‘the Marian Art’: ‘His mother pondered and treasured all these things in her heart’ Luke. 2:51. what the renowned psychotherapist said of an individual applies to organizations and movements. And what Mary the Mother of Jesus, the type of the Church uniquely performed and rigorously put into practice in her lifetime becomes a salutary exercise for all Christians. I feel assured that this ‘pondered’ and revised edition will be a source of inspiration and guide for PCLM activists at the grass root level. It is for these activist to evolve a praxis and thus help Dalit Christian towards moving effectively towards achieving the goals and filling the dreams of the Dalit Christians who have been experiencing sufferings for centuries and that too uninterrupted suffering and discrimination from womb to the tomb.

Dear and respected delegates,

It is my privilege and joy to extend a hearty welcome to you. My rough estimate is that there are over “three hundred delegates”. Braving all odds you have come here to discuss, share your concerns and dreams. The previous PCLM National assembly was in April 2002 and the topic of the seminar was: “The role of the Church in the Development of Dalit Christians”.

On this historic day we move ‘one more step ahead’ hence we have decided to discuss in detail the present condition of the “Dalit Christians in the Context of Conversion.” I repeat the topic for this seminar is: Dalit Christians in the Context of Conversion.

This topic is chosen because ‘Conversion’ in our land famed for religious tolerance has emerged as a foremost controversial topic for politicians, social activists, and religious leaders. It must be our effort to unravel what conversion really means. Initially it can be stated that, Conversion for every true Christian has a completely different meaning than what the non-Christians persons mean. Besides, Christians for centuries were using the term ‘evangelization’ and conversion as co-related. But PCLM, right at the outset has deliberately equated conversion and evangelization to avoid confusion in our sharing and discussions.

Christians all over the world are clear as to what they mean by conversion/evangelization. Yet, in India conversion has a lot of misgivings. We have to exercise tolerance, patience and wisdom. Conversion/evangelization is a matter ‘of conscience’. Obviously the Christian conscience will feel hurt in situations like passing of stringent ordinances, as it has happened in the cases of ordinances passed by the Government of Tamil Nadu and Gujarat.

These ordinances should be ‘eye openers’. Indian Christians should realize that all is not well with the way Peters, Christians Leaders, various churches are going about their mission to evangelize. Peters and Church leaders were caught off guard. Most Indian Church leaders presented vague arguments and lame excuses as per their own vested interest and theological jargon.

My address for the topic on ‘Dalit Christian in the context of Conversion” is divided into three parts:

The pre-conversion/ evangelization scenario for any non-Jewish/pagan land and for India in particular.
The post-conversion/ evangelization scenario for Dalit Christians and the various dramas and games played by Peters/Church leaders.
Towards a solution for Dalit Christians in India.

Part one

Part One: The pre-conversion/evangelization scenario in any Pagan Land:

To make ‘the pre-conversion /evangelization scenario’, sound more simply we ask ourselves the question: how did evangelization begin? And a related question: who began evangelization and why?

The Jews as per their biblical experience rightly held they were the chosen race. They have ample evidence for the same. All other peoples were put in the bracket of non-Jew, meaning ‘not chosen’ or Pagan. To come quickly to the point, as to who started evangelization and what it meant to persons at the time of Jesus. We rely on some well-known biblical device called ‘sitz in Leben Jesu’ or what ‘good news’ meant in the time of Jesus. This mission proclamation of Jesus’ is central for evangelization.

This solemn mission declaration is well described in the Gospel of St. Luke.Ch.4: 14-19. I am just quoting one sentence from the whole text but the note whole passage is very important for our constant reflection and sharing. In fact every Dalit Christian should learn it by heart. “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring the ‘ good news’ to the poor”. Luke. 4:18. And intimately connected with this ‘good news’ the proclamation of the year of remission. And the very important word and sentence described in Lk.4: 19. I read slowly and stress the word ‘year’ (reads) “ to proclaim the ‘year’ of God’s favour.”

It is utmost importance to known what is this ‘year of favour/remission’ means. Confer Leviticus Ch. 25: 1- 55, Deuteronomy Ch. 15:1-18 and Deu. 31:9-11. I give three very important texts, which every Dalit Christian should read again and again. I repeat, yes again and again because all Peters, Church leaders never heard of it. Our proof is because even the most powerful Roman Peter is totally ignorant of this very important proclamation. Confer Jubilee Disaster a document sent to Pope John Paul II, Dated. 17-9-2000 and ‘Church Restoration’ (CR-Aug’03 issue) document for internmentship for Pope John Paul II in Jerusalem. The Bible mentions that ‘Adam and Eve’ was sent out of the garden into exile. So it is just and biblical that the Pope and Peters leave ‘their paradise’ and get interned for the grave sins against the poor of Yahweh. Confer ‘Church Restoration’ Issue of Aug-03. For India, an Intermentship programme for the Petrine levites in Bangalore, Ranchi and Shillong.

Now to come to understand ‘evangelization and Pagan’ meant to Historical Peter and Paul and Jewish Christians in the early Church. Once again we rely on the technical term, ‘sitz in leben early Church’. It will surprise many in this august assembly that present Italy, France, Germany, Spain, Portugal, Belgium, etc thus practically the whole of Europe and Asia Minor etc. was considered ‘pagan lands’ or as peoples and land where the’ good news’ was to be proclaimed…. as the gospel put it to the ‘very ends of the world’.

The early Christian community was ‘exclusively Jewish’s’. It was only after the death and resurrection of Christ that St. Paul opened the gates of Christianity, namely spread of the ‘good news’ (evangelization) to the whole non-Jewish world: called Pagans/non-Jews/Gentiles. The term ‘Pagan’ meant non-Jews. It was not a derogative term as it is now. Nor was Pagan peoples or lands understood as lands ‘to be conquered’ as understood by Successive Peters or Church leaders. St. Paul clearly stated with the event of ‘ the death and resurrection’ the classical division of Jews and Gentiles, (non-Jews) loses it significance ‘ all are made one in Christ’.

Hence there is a world of difference between what the historical Peter and Paul understood by this mission called “spread of the gospel” to the non-Jews and what meaning is attached to it by successive Peters or Church leaders.

Historically, ‘this band of small Judeo Christians” was in minority, almost insignificant minority for almost three centuries. They faced immense persecutions. Obviously, there was no clear-cut agenda for evangelization as later Successive Peters formalized, dogmatised and sanctified conversion for their own selfish interests. Briefly, it can be stated that in the in the ‘ early church’ there is sufficient proof to show that evangelization implies no conquest of peoples, no imposition of any kind.

And note practically the whole world was ‘ pagan’. And the only handbooks ‘these true apostles’ possessed for these three centuries were some authorized form of the ‘three synoptics’ and St. John’s gospel’ gospels. Note the epistles of St. Paul and all other epistles were not classified as ‘Good News’. But scholarly Pagan Christians in ‘later editions’ included these ‘explanations and letters’ into a corpus and cleverly termed it all: ‘new testament’. Thus began the mother of all biblical aberrations.

Poor Pagan Christians believe that these divisions are eternally true divisions and compilations of ‘complete Bible’. These same Pagan scholars cleverly complied various ‘inspirational books’ and thus in gem was the ‘later bulky bible’ as books of ‘old and new testament’. Thus Jesus’ mission proclamation of the Jubilee implementation was eternally diluted.

Hence it is important to know that ‘early apostles’ Jewish Christians had only meager ‘handwritten’ documents’ of the ‘good news’. This is verily ‘stark brevity’ of early church.

Present Pagan Peters supply their evangelizers with a ‘Bulky Bible’, and with every new translator a more sophisticated form of what ‘they consider’ to be the ‘Bible’.(Confer Catholic edition and Protestant editions) This ‘bulky book’ they say is the ‘true version’. The real truth is soon forgotten that it was for their convenience and self-interest they divided this ‘bulky book’ in two divisions. Old Testament and New Testament. Over the centuries this ‘Bulky Pagan Bible’ is translated in umpteen languages and with lengthy introductions, explanations, fake headings, and fake classifications, fake interpretations, thus the ‘Bible’ is so disfigured that the ‘good news’ is eternally lost.

This ‘Bulky Bible’ spelt disaster for the stark brevity of the ‘good news’. Obviously this ‘distorted compendium’ was made to suit later Pagan Christian traditions, dogmas, documents, rites and rituals. And then there was no looking back to additions and additions, aberrations and total disfiguration of what originally evangelization meant.

Now the modern evangelizer has to take as gospel truth the divisions of Pagan Popes that the Bible has been division neatly into “old testament and new testament” and the modern evangelizer has to cram up Pagan theological treatises, read pagan Church history, get acquainted with various Pagan Christian traditions, rites and rituals and thus ‘wonder and stark brevity’ of the gospels (four and only four) is completely lost.

The early Jewish Christians must be turning in their graves at this disfigurement of ‘Torah’ and ‘Dabar Yahweh’. The stark brevity of the ‘good news’, possessed by early apostles in some ‘oral form’ or ‘early handwritten records’ of the ‘four gospels’, is forever lost. It is pure Pagan Peters concoction that the ‘bulky bible’ forms an eternal compendium/corpus for evangelization/conversion.

In conclusion, it can be safely stated that just a cursory glance of ‘ Jesus’ mission and the early church’s’ mission of evangelization is sufficient to give us an idea how aberrations and distortions crept into what is ‘sacredly’ known as evangelization/conversion. For the purpose of this seminar it suffices to get acquainted with this pre- evangelization/conversion scenario.

Dalit Christians valid questions are: What right have any Roman Peter or any Pagan Peter to impose another meaning to ‘good news ‘ other than what Jesus meant and what the early Church meant? And further, what ‘right’ has any nation be it, Italy, Spain, France, Germany or any so called ‘Christian nations’ to impose dogmas, rites, rituals, traditions etc especially since they too were ‘pagan peoples’? Further, are the modern Roman Peters or any other Christian Peter, just implementing a distorted form of evangelization, which Dalit Christians rightly call an eternal slavery Programme? These questions are based on the praxis of Dalit Christians who face ‘double discrimination’. It is the Dalit Christians, who are ‘freely, frankly and fearlessly’ questioning Peters of all hues. These questions, (in retrospect) are been continually asked through PCLM’s magazine “ Christian Post”. See issues Nov.2003 to Nov. 2004.

In this first section we have clarified what Pagan/ Gentile means. And more important what evangelization means. To simply matters I stress the equation I made earlier. Truly evangelization is conversion and conversion is evangelization. Meaning one who is evangelized knows the year of remission and knows that he has to implement the Jubilee Laws. Confer the three important texts. And truly ‘implementations of the Jubilee Laws’ is evangelization. If Peters can implement the Jubilee laws then evangelization is taking place.

Now it can be safely stated that all successive Peters, and Peters of all hues were ‘mere Pagan Peters’. And it is clear that ‘Pagan Popes’ care two hoots for true conversion and evangelization. Hence another valid question can be asked at this juncture: who is converting/evangelizing whom? Day in and day out from the Grand Jubilee year 2000 PCLM and other Dalit Christians in India have been proclaiming to the ‘Pagan Peters’ of all hues that their Jubilee Year commitment is mere farce. Thus it is the Dalit Christians who are truly converting and evangelizing the Pagan Popes or Peters.

Part two:
The post-conversion scenario for any non-Jewish/pagan land and the various drama/games played by Peters/Church leaders.

The documentation for this section is so vast and so diligently preserved by successive Peters and their Pagan scholars. These documents are popularly known as ‘ Church History’. It is the detailed history ad nauseam of how dogmas, rites and rituals and various Pagan Peter churches evolved, separated and formed their own ecclesial traditions, custom, and most important for the Catholic Peters is what is enunciated by the Supreme Pontiff for his vast flock – ‘a universal law, a sanctified called the canon law’. This law was and is and will be implemented in letter and spirit. This canon law is more sacred than Jesus’ mission proclamation and Jubilee implementation. Hence what remains to understood, studied and reflected for Dalit Christians praxis is the various dramas/games played by Peters of all hues in this post evangelical period. The period from the third century till the present times.

Obviously it is not within the scope of this seminar that Dalit Christians have a complete description of the 3 dramas/games played. Hence for the purpose of the seminar I have highlighted some important dramas; and for the purpose of our discussion now and later in the field I have divided these PP dramas of conversion into two divisions: ‘Pagan Peters greater conversion dramas/games’ and Pagan Peters lesser conversion games/dramas’.

The division of greater drama and lesser drama are not in any chronological order and not even in logical order merely at random. Nor are we saying dogmatically the ‘greater are greater and lesser are lesser’. The division is just for reflection sake. A scholarly approach is beyond the scope of this seminar. ‘Give to Caesar what is Caesars’. It is for our ideologues, writers, as and when the need arises to collate, classify and present in a readable form their relevant findings and be challenged in the ‘praxis’ of the Dalit Christians.

A: Some greater dramas played by Pagan Peters.

Pagan Peters holier than thou game:

Right at the outset of Christianity Pagan Peters considered themselves ‘martyrs for the faith’ confer the term ‘ the blood of martyrs’. Or it was ‘cleverly done’ later but at their behest so that ‘posterity also pays due respect to them. Thus first Successive Pagan Peter was a saint and ‘then there were more and more’- a whole list of them. Confer the ‘ link of Pagan Popes’ prepared under Pagan Popes guidance. This list is made to frighten the laity Christians forever. The preeminent sanctity of the Pagan Popes is almost a dogma of faith. Pagan Peters have prepared a formidable list of saints and their achievements. Pope John Paul II, the present pagan pope has canonized hundred of new saints during his papacy.

Obviously, this ‘holier than thou game’ put Christianity on sandy and shaky foundation’; and the worst scenario is and ironically too, the Pagan Peters were and are Pharisees par excellence. It is the Dalit ideologue Noel David who dares to call a spade a spade Confer his voluminous writings (unpublished), which prove that “Pagan Peters are indeed the real Pharisees of Gospel”. It was only recently in Church History that the Pagan Popes took charge dogma of infallibility, from thence there was no looking back. Eminent church theologians are charged with dire consequences if doubts arise about the supremacy of the Pope. Hence pagan popes were the first culprits to dilute “ Jesus’ mission” with their holier than thou attitude. Who has dared at any time in the history of Christianity to remind the Pagan Popes of the implementation of the Jubilee laws every seven years, every fifty years and every hundred years, and every thousand years? Which Christian has dared to call them Pharisees? Or by any apocalyptic titles name like the ‘great fiery dragon’, the Anti-Christ, the terrible beast with the number 6666? Such naming indeed would have a salutary effect on the ‘Pagan Peters’ as has ‘gehenna in the gospels’.

The ostrich game of pagan Peters:

Like in the game of chess the Pagan Peter are heavily guarded. Any amount of pawns can be sacrificed for the PP. Just the opposite of what is expected of a true shepherd. On the contrary Vatican City heavily guards its Pagan Peter; and there is the formidable Vatican Curia to prevent him from any dogmatic harm. Compare this with Jesus, the true shepherd “ready to lay down his life for his sheep”. It is well known that the Pope is a mere “Prisoner of the Vatican”. Wherever checkmated he has a ‘huge blanket of Christian goodwill’ to justify whatever he does. His ostrich-like attitude is no secret anymore.

Dalit Christian Shri. Ram Bharati, a noted filmmaker, journalist, and social activist while preparing his documentary, ‘In search for self-respect’ has captured and preserved the ostrich-like attitude of Bishop Concessio, the present Bishop of New Delhi.

Can such Pagan Peters lead their sheep and know their flock? Jesus said: “I am the good shepherd .I know my own and my own know me just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for my sheep”. (Jn: 10:15) In their secure palace ‘jubilee commitment’ is ‘Torah rubbish.’ And old covenant law.

Dalit ideologue, Mr. Kirit Mahida, in the magazine published from Anand, Gujarat called the “Prabudh Catholic”, has fully exposed the travesty of these so-called ‘good shepherds’. There is one full regular section entitled “chet machander gorak aya”. In ordinary parlance for our purpose here it means: ‘Beware, fake shepherds are on the prowl’. It is unfortunate that all this material is in Gujarati. An English and Hindi translation of the erudite issues of ‘Prabudh Catholic’ would be a boon for Dalit Christian literature.

The sacramental game and the Tower of Babel game:

The sacramental game is one of the biggest drama/game for the eternal continuance of the Roman Catholic Clergy. Thus the Catholic Clergy are fixed in a ‘permanent jubilee state’. The seven sacraments being formalized and sanctified ‘as if’ sacramental life is heaven on earth! There is automatically an eternal flow of grace.

“Blessed are the Roman Catholic clergy the kingdom of God’s is theirs.” The Pagan Popes proclaims that there is :one and only one Christian beatitude and that also ‘only for clergy’. In this scenario how can we expect to explain to Catholic Clergy that it is the implementation of jubilee “every seven years” etc that is of prime importance and not the seven sacraments of the Pagan Peters.

The Christian Liturgy is a tower of Babel experience. One has to attend the Sunday liturgical services. There is a reading, just few sentences from Old Testament and then a solemn one from the New Testament. (Note all stand up!!) Most important is the “Sunday commentary” of the gospel, popularly known as the sermon. These babelings differs from Parish to Parish, from state to state and nation to nation. Isn’t this a veritable ‘Tower of Babel’? Catholic laity never shows any disgust of their pastor’s absurd and lengthy interpretations of sacred scripture. Nay, they go enlightened over the new and ever newer interpretations of the Bible from their wise pastors. And above all, Catholic laity prefers to congregate in these Tower of Babel churches.

The laity wishes to remain laity. They wish to live in an eternal state of ignorance of the Bible-The living word of God. For Catholics, ‘the interpretation of the Bible given by Pagan Peter is absolutely true’. And Pagan Popes and their clergy have never ever spoken of the implementation of such Jubilee laws every seven years. Such Laws will be like Greek to them; and they would even dare to guess, without checking for themselves that such laws are indeed absurd laws. And dare to say that such laws should not be mentioned in the Bible. Obviously ‘their Pagan Pope’ will never approve of such laws of the perfidious Jews.

Pagan Peters’ manpower, wealth power and muscle power drama:

This is one of the early drama played by pagan Peters. It was Constantine who exercised this drama to the fullest at an early stage and thus distorted evangelization and Jubilee implementation down the ages. In early Christianity Pagan Kingly Peters simply ridiculed the ‘implementation of Jubilee laws’ since the practice of slavery was rampant. Later as ‘Christianity progressed’ and grew into a powerful body it was the pagan Popes who successfully exercised great muscle power and wealth power. Hence it is very strange that even at a very early stage of ‘church history’ no so called ‘important ecclesial council’, later solemnly called the ecumenical Council ever treated the subject of Jesus mission and implementation of the Jubilee laws.

The early church Jewish Christians had to adapt themselves to the culture of the Romans, Greeks, and Syrians. Each of these major evangelized areas had their own tradition, rites and rituals. This began the first religious disparities, disputes due to cultural affinities. Thus in the treatment of these non-issues the ‘real issues’ of constant seven yearly review of the implementation so strongly recommended by Mosaic Law were easily forgotten as not essential to Pagan Christianity.

Pagan Peter’s drama of replacing simple synagogual meeting and form independent “Churches” and its own unique liturgy.

This in retrospect was the most harmful game played by Pagan Peters. It was in these long periods of ‘lived Christianity’ that Pagan Peters discovered that ‘people are enjoy being gullible’ and hence they began by introduction of a harmless tradition like ‘agape sessions’, ‘baptism of children’, and ‘marriage in the church’ as per sensibilities and customs of the people. Now the Roman Catholics have a formidable and full-fledged ‘seven sacraments sacred tradition’. Thus Pagan Peters introduced the mother of all aberrations liturgy, ritual and rites. Significantly, in none of these seven sacraments any mention is made the Christian’s most important commitment to implementation of the Jubilee laws.

Pagan Peters Media game:

This game is a mind-boggling game. The Pagan Peters are past masters in media matters. All other parties in Media are mere novices and will remain novices. Just a few references will suffice to know the how great was, is and will be influence of Pagan Peters over the consciences of the so-called civilized world. Their Media policy is: ‘Roma locuta est’ and ‘gospel truth’.

Their publications of their encyclopedias, directories, books, journals, magazines etc. fill the world libraries. It will be fool-hardly for anyone to clash against these intellectual giants in Media matters. So give to Caesar what is Caesars and to Pagan Peters what is Pagan Peters. They are media magnates par excellence.

Dalit Christians are not going to engage themselves in a Media battle against the unbeatable Pagan Peters. Yet in relation to the “ The Jubilee mission of Jesus” and ‘conversion and evangelization’ the Dalit Christians reserve their right to engage themselves in this crucial battle. Hence PCLM envisages the publication of this “stark brevity” document as its prime duty. We wish to supply the same to all Dalits in India, Pakistan, Nepal, Myanmar and Sri Lanka and among all peoples, nations of goodwill.

Varied Pagan Peters Provisions for divide and rule;

Pagan Peters discovered that they had to ‘give recognition’ to rival Pagan Peters. Very early they learnt ‘cake sharing’ is a safe policy, so Roman churches gave ‘recognition’ to Greek Churches and Syrian churches. It goes without saying that this division of Christianity is a division of convenience and preservation of ‘flock fleecing right’. If the common bond of these Pagan Christian Churches had been the ‘mission of Jesus and the Jubilee implementation then such‘ Christian flock division’ would seem redundant. A Christian in Rome, Greece, Asia Minor, would be known by his Jubilee commitment ‘every seven years’. But there is no record of any ‘jubilee implementation programme’ in any Roman Peter, Greek Peter or Syrian Peter Church.

Now to come to the section of lesser dramas played by Pagan Peters with special reference to the Indian scene:
Part three:
B. The Lesser Dramas/ games played by PP.

Pagan Peter missionaries with manpower and money:

Practically all ‘powerful Pagan Peter nations’ invaded India with a programme called ‘conversion’. It was and is a real onslaught. They had manpower and money power unmatched in the history of mankind. Even now the ‘biggest globalization business’ is conversion. Confer Tehelka report of …… This unabashed programme is an off- shoot of the earlier Pagan Peters aberrations. In India, the ‘so called conversion programme’ had an additional advantage/disadvantage the low castes or Dalits.

Within a comparatively short period of two hundred years, a large number of Dalits has become Christians. But soon Dalit Christians realized that they were taken for a ride. Dalit Christians are a formidable two crore people, who have raised the ‘real issue of conversion and evangelization’. PCLM spared no effort ‘ at the right time’ to make a hue and cry through its media intervention and effort. Never before in any Pagan Peters History Peters of all hues have been challenged. It was precisely in the grand millennium year 2000 that PPs (Pagan Peters) were caught off guard as to their real Christian commitment. And these are the famed Indian Pagan Peters, under well-known church titles like CBCI; NCCI etc these IPPs (Indian Pagan Peters) were totally ignorant of the ‘ Jubilee programme’ for Dalit Christians. Confer the whole shameful IPP political interventions in reservation for Dalit Christian issue. The Indian newspapers have preserved all its details from the year 1950 to this day.

The game of the mushrooming of Tantric Peters:

As if the organized gang of Indian Pagan Peters is not sufficient for the conversion programme, the gullible Dalit Christians have to constantly face the on slaught of Tantric Peters. These Tantric Peters are supermen and have supernatural powers. They lay their hands on the suffering, they heal, and they perform miracles and what not. The mouthpiece of the CBCI ‘ Indian Currents’ often gives the names and places where such Catholic Tantric Peters perform their feats. Confer last page (cover) ads. Strange even Catholicism has its own brand of Tantric Peters to misguide Dalit Christians in India. But it is a real sight to seen other Indian Tantric Peters of the Protestant stream in action. If you are interested in such Tantric Peters programmes you have to carefully read the ads in the Indian newspapers. These Tantric Peters literally prowl in all major towns and have a large following. Strangest of all, these Tantric Peters never ever make any reference to who is to be a “true Christian”- or Christian’s jubilee commitment every seven years. These Tantric Peters carry away a big booty from these sessions in terms of ‘ good will for conversion’. Besides they are funded by powerful Pagan Peters of rich nations like U.S.A. etc.

The Sadhuvad or Parasite game:

India is a land of millions and millions of ‘sadhus. This helps us to understand what ‘Sadhuvad’ is. Sadhus practice renunciation and detachment as per the religious tradition and commitment enshrined in their sacred writings. These ‘sadhus ‘ have to be fed and taken care off by the common populace. So they are best described as parasites living at someone’s expense. The famed Dalit ideologue Noel David, PCLM’s Gujarat representative, in his speech in the seminar of 2002 told the gathering solemnly that ‘ the Church leaders are living in a parasite age’. Especially for the Catholic Clergy there is an eternal, inexhaustible fund. Only these parasites have to perform ‘certain clergy duties’ and that also rarely. It goes without saying that the ‘vows of poverty, chastity and obedience’ makes them fit perfectly in the Sadhuvad system. No doubt the Indian Syrian Christians is at home in this parasite system. All religious orders, congregations for provinces/dioceses in Indian are flooded with vocations to become parasites. This huge band of clergy are well trained and well fed. Not a word is ever said of the ‘jubilee commitment’ during their life’. They die gloriously and are buried with much fanfare. Invariably an obituary appears about their exemplary religious life in their local magazines etc.

The Pagan Peters Addas game:

In India, Church leadership has been running more than 40,000 health, educational, and other social welfare organizations. After the Government of India the largest portion of land belongs to Christian bodies. The Church owns these vast well-furnished Addas. These Addas cater to the needs of the affluent and elite section. Wonder jubilee commitment! Not every seven years but day in and day out. Dalit Christians are asking for the crumbs that fall off from these Addas. Jubilee implementation is unheard of and so is ‘even just an mere ‘Educational Council’! For Dalits.

Who can bell these cats? The entire wealth of the Pagan Peters is in the hands of the high class Christians. Christian money, their real estates are being used day and day out for the betterment of the affluent. A more ironical situation cannot be imagined in the context of the jubilee commitment.

Sheep stealing game of PP (Pagan Peters )in India:

This game makes a real mockery of what ‘ Christianity really is or stands for’. In this game is revealed what ‘conversion means to Pagan Peters in India ’. To enhance their numbers Church leaders and independent Evangelists are performing multiple baptisms of the already ‘baptized Christian’. The only difference is they now belong to another group of Pagan Peters. Such conversions are a lucrative business. There is ample evidence that such games are being played by Indian Pagan Peters. The recent records of “conversions” show that the proportion of such ‘sheep stealing conversion’ is much larger than conversion from other religions.

The Hindi belt of Northern area is most suitable for this sheep stealing game. In the past the sheep stealers were the followers of the Salvation Army, Church of Northern India, (CNI), Methodists, Lutheran Church and Evangelical Church. But after Independence the scenario has changed, Catholics and Protestants have indulged in sheep stealing in the name of true evangelization. When will the even supposedly genuine Christians know what ‘evangelization and conversion’ means?

The crocodile tears game of Indian Pagan Peters.

When conversions fail to happen with their ordinary means, the IPP shamelessly resorts to the crocodile tears game. This drama took place at the Durban Conference of the United Nations in 2001! A cursory glance at the list of delegates from India would give anyone a fair idea that it was ‘the IPP rich delegates’ who went to shed crocodile tears for grave injustice meted out to their Dalits in India.

It was a big drama of tear in a powerful venue at Durban. That their tears were a mere farce is borne out fact of their commitment to the Dalit cause at home. The Indian Dalit organizations are flooded by IPP. It is they, who back in India are in reality are indulging in grave injustice to their own Dalit brethren numbering two crores. Thus with their fake tears they won the ‘good will’ of United Nations. Confer full reports in Indian Currents…December 2001

The hide and seek game of IPP The chief Pagan Pope has created a Vatican to play the hide and seek game. In India “Vatican palaces are stretched over the length and breath of the vast country. Obviously grand ‘hiding place for secret conferences for conversion program .The IPP are ‘notoriously absent’ from their diocese or their prime duty as chief pastor. A tragico-humorous case of the “ lost shepherd”(khovayelo bharvad) was reported in the magazine ‘ Prabudh Catholic’. The case needs to be mentioned here because this ‘lost shepherd’ is no other than the present Archbishop of Gandhinagar, Rt. Rev. Stanislaus Fernandes S.J. For all his hide and seek games he plays, he is promoted in the hierarchy of IPP in predominantly Dalit Christian Gujarat.

The Bishop is a ‘mere overseer’. In India princes and kings have disappeared yet new brand of princes of IPP rule the roast. They are the most sought persons for all social, religious and cultural functions.

The liberation of Dalit “Conversion Game”:

Some Church sponsored organizations have started presenting conversion as the only way towards so- called liberation of the Dalits. Some time ago there were reports of the so-called Sikh in Chhattisgarh and Punjab. There was another report from the South of Tamil Nadu that some two hundred and fifty (250) youth of the scheduled Castes have been able to find the path of liberation through effort of the Seventh Day Adventist. What sort of Jubilee liberation is this? Obviously Dalits of India are becoming a vast goldmine for conversion and the Church leadership in India is ready for the digging out the booty.

The Mel Gibson’s Passion Play Game and Passion Plays in Christian Parishes

The Mel Gibson’s passion film only made one more skeleton fall of out the bags of Pagan Peters. It is no secret that the Pagan Pope ‘Recommended this Passion play Film’. But passion plays have been in vogue for several centuries.

The whole game in passion plays is putting the blame of Jesus’ death on the Jews, thus forgetting the real issues. It is very clear from Gibson’s depiction of the Jesus’ sufferings that he played on the sentiments of the Christians. For Jesus, his passion and death are a non-issue. Mel Gibson shows ad nauseam the sufferings of Jesus and his death on the cross. Is this the central message of Christianity?

Then in Christian countries, in Christian Kerela there are the passion plays etc and especially on “Good Friday” a grand Good Friday service to play on the religious sentiments of the people. From the fruit one knows the tree. It is well known in Syrian Christian Kerela that no Jew dares to get out on the streets on Good Friday…least he be…. Are these services for merely to put the blame on the Jews? Or further are these services just a play on the sentiment of pious Christians to show how much Jesus, Our Lord and Master suffered for mankind. Is this suffering the central message of Jesus? Definitely no.

Jesus has a special message for Mel Gibson and the Syrian Christians of Kerela and Christians who make a non-issue of his passion and death. Jesus says in no unambiguous terms: the he has come to proclaim the year of remission and release of those in bondage. This means that : the declaration of the year of remission and the Jubilee laws are central for Jesus.

Christians should not indulge in cheap interpretations. PCLM advices Christians not to reduce the passion and death to sentimentality shows, or make business of such depictions, or create non-issues of his death and passion and resurrection.

PCLM’s real question to filmmakers and Passion Play producers is: Why aren’t there films, plays on Jubilee mission of Jesus? Why isn’t there among Christians a real Mel Gibson to depict the Jubilee mission? Why isn’t there a film on Jubilee year implementation so central to Jesus and all Christians?

The Indian Syrian stranglehold game:

It is a well published fact that a mere 30% of the Indian Syrian Christian have a complete stranglehold on 70% Dalit Christians. Confer news in Dalit Voice Nov. 2001. Also confer the seminar proceeding of the PCLM (April 2002). Are the Indian Syrian Christians ready to come for a dialogue and sort of this key issue? Obviously it is a big game, even after so much publicity given. The enemies within the Christian community are the worst.
Edited by
Fr. Anthony Fernandes SJhttp://www.Dalitchristian.org

The problems of the Dalits and Tribals have remained the same even after several decades of conversion into the Christianity. A large number of poor Christians have come together to form a common platform – Poor Christian Liberation Movement (PCLM) – and are demanding Church to meet the aspirations of the dalits and tribals. In a long interaction with Sai Prasan, a senior journalist, RL Francis, president, PCLM addressed the issues ranging from Kandhamal violence, fraudulent conversions to the inner contradictions within the Church and among the Christian community at large. Excerpts:

Orissadiary.com: PCLM has issued a press release on MP Minority Commission’s observations regarding Church property. But, why you were silent on the Supreme Court recently criticizing Odisha government for its failure to protect the life of people in Kandhamal violence? And, you have spared even the Hindu fundamentalists for attacking Christians in Odisha?
Francis: Do not allege the things which are not true. We condemn any kind of violence on any religion. We support all the decision of the Honourable Supreme Curt of India in this regard. In several judgments, judiciary has saved the minorities in India.

Orissadiary.com: You have termed the Christian conversions fraudulent and asked the Church to stop it. What is the basis on which you have alleged that the Conversions are fraudulent in India?

Francis: The act of conversion comes from within and is an spiritual attainment of an individual. The church itself is against conversions which are done through allurement and false promises. It has been observed that many conversions are done using questionable methods. The Poor Christian Liberation Movement (PCLM) is against such conversions. Several studies published and particularly in a book – “Changing Gods” by Rev. Fr. Rudolf Heredoro S.J. gives several example of fraudulent conversion. It is on the basis of these studies that the people allege that fraudulent conversions are taking place inIndia. Several priests themselves have said these things.

Orissadiary.com: You have asked the government/s to appoint common man in the commissions and other forums and not the priests and bishops. Why you do not have faith in the Church?

Francis: According to World Council of Churches and Vatican II, the laity must be empowered. If the religious persons (priests and nuns) are appointed in the government formed commission, then the confusion will arise in the masses. After all, the Vatican has an ambassador inIndia who is the representative of Pope. And on the other hand, bishops and archbishops are also appointed by Rome. In this condition, it is difficult for priests and nuns to ignore the religious stand and sometimes they many act contrary to the interest of local people. The roles of religious people are to do spiritual work and live the life of Christ.

I need not elaborate that Christ himself never accepted any post in Roman Empire. We further urged the government that no clergy (Bishops, priests and nuns) be appointed in the government committee, commissions etc. Instead, the government should appoint ordinary Christians as the members in such committees and commissions. It has been observed that due to such appointments, the Bishops, priests, and nuns are deviating from their original work of the Church and misusing their positions and funds.

Orissadiary.com: What are the demands of poor dalits and tribal Christians from the Church?

Francis: The demand of poor christians is to uplift the poor christians who mostly come from dalit and tribal background. It has been noted that while the church is having buildings and institutions, the poor Christians are not admitted in it. Our demand is to give admission to every Christian child in Christian schools. After all, the Christians schools are violating the rights under minority rules.
As there are large number of administrative rules in the church institutors, we demand that the laity should be given more chance to the government the local church institutions.
We strongly demand that as per the teachings of Jesus Christ inaction within the church on the basis for caste must be stopped immediately. And separate graveyard for dalits and separate prayer arrangement for them must be changed into general equal rights.
We appeal to the bishops to see that priests, nuns and authorities stop supporting upper caste Christians against Dalit Christians and instead openly oppose discrimination and close down the churches and services in places where discrimination on the basis of caste is practiced.
Orissadiary.com: Has the social and economic status of poor Christians after the conversions changed and these religious conversions brought any social change among the dalits and tribal?

Francis: Unfortunately not. Several studies by the Church and independent scholars suggest that they are large number of poor Christians’ who still lack education and they are backward economically. They do not have jobs.
The poor Christians particularly Dalits are suffering in the same manner as Hindu dalits. Infact, this is the basis for demanding reservation for the Dalit Christians in the Church for several years.
PCLM has made allegations that the foreign funds coming to Indiaare being mis-used by a section of Church. How do you think these funds can be properly used for the development of Dalit and tribal Christians?
St. Peter has two keys. One of the heaven and other one of the treasurery. The treasury key must be handed over to the laity for transparency.. Economic committees should be formed to oversee the fund’s expenditure. In every diocese the treasurer must be a lay person appointed on the rotational basis – for two years. And must be changed after that. More economic owers must be given to nuns as they are honest and sincere.
Orissadiary.com: Why are you opposed to the reservations of Dalit Christians in the government jobs?

Francis: We are looking for the long term interest of the community. After the government, the Church is the biggest employer in India. And as such what is the percentage of dalit Christians employed in Christian schools, colleges, hospitals and social service projects. We want first the Church to provide 60 % reservations to the Dalit Christians, 20 % to the Tribal Christians and 10 % for rest of the Christians in their own institutions. In principle it also not justified to push back the Dalits Christians in the same category which they discarded and adopted Christianity. We demand that Catholic Bishop Conference of India (CBCI), National Council for churches in India (NCCI) and other church organizations to drop the demand for pushing back the poor Christians in to the category of Scheduled Caste status. The teaching of Jesus Christ does not permit a any one to discriminate among his followers. All Christians are born in the image of God. If the Church in India pursues the reservation for Christians on the basis of caste then it must pay compensation to the poor Christians who got converted to the Christianity long back.

We urge the Union government to institute a law allowing the Christians minority institutions to admit 50% student who are Christians. Any Christians educational institute claiming Minority Status be punished if they refuse admission to a Christian child. Currently, there is no such provision therefore the Church educational institutions are ignoring poor Christians. Those not following the directive be declassified and put under the Income Tax Act as commercial venture.

Orissadiary.com: You have supported Madhya Pradesh Minority Commissions’ statement to form Waqf board to monitor Church property. How do you think that it will help the poor Christians?

Francis: The large scale fraudulent deals and selling of mission properties in several places in India, the Madhya Pradesh Minority Commission has suggested to the State Government to set up a Waqf like Board to protect Church properties. The church hierarchy should examine it with open mind and in sincerity. We have submitted a memorandum to the Prime Minister Dr. Man Mohan Singh demanding an agency for the protection of Christian properties on the pattern of Waqf Board. There is nothing objectionable in the proposal. If there was anything wrong in the Waqf board, then Muslim brethren would have opposed it. Therefore, it is not appropriate to oppose the proposal mooted by the M P state Minority Commission for setting up a Waqf like Board for the Christians. Several cases of selling Church property illegally have come to the light in Jabalpur, Damoh, Indore, Ratlam, Raipur, Bilaspur, Nagpur,Agra, Saharanpur, Lucknow,Ludhiana, Delhi, Bangalore, Hyderabad,Calcutta and in other places. Therefore, it is in the interest of the Christian community to have a Waqf Board like national agency for the proper upliftment and protection of the mission property.

Orissadiary.com: Your opponents among the Christian community alleged that the people like you are disgruntled elements as your line of thinking is similar to Sangh Parivar. Are you working in tandem with the Sangh Parivar?

Francis:Several priests and bishops are having dialogue with RSS. Are they also working in tandem with the Sangh Parivar?

Francis: We would welcome any move by the Vatican to solve the problems of Dalit Christians in India. Also we would like to involve World Council of Churches in this matter. And we cannot forget the evangelical groups who are also spreading the word of Lord. Above all the involvement of the leaders from India is also very important.

Orissadiary.com: What is your last word on the overall situation?

Francis: In the 21st century all religion are facing crisis. So, the case with Christainity. I sincerely urge the Church leaders to prepare the laity for the more responsibilities so that the real message of Christ becomes acceptable to all without offending any other religion. The key word is respect all religions equally.